Monthly Archives September 2011

Using "Feng Shui" for Balance & Broader Appeal

Using "Feng Shui" for Balance & Broader Appeal

28th September 2011 | 1 Comment

The ancient philosophy of feng shui, which translates as “the wind and the water,” is the Chinese art of correct placement. In real estate, those who prescribe to feng shui believe that home sales can be better achieved by arranging furniture and décor to establish harmony and energy. “In feng shui we evaluate a house and its property for sufficient qi (pronounced chee), the living energy of all beings, but also for the land and even a house,” says Werner Brandmaier, a consultant at the Institute of Feng Shui & Geopathology in Portland, Maine. “When there’s not enough qi, it
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Why Zillow's "Zestimates" are "Zilly"

Why Zillow's "Zestimates" are "Zilly"

9th September 2011 | Comments Off on Why Zillow's "Zestimates" are "Zilly"

I often hear sellers using the Zillow “Zestimate” when trying to ascertain the value of their home – at least when the “Zestimate” benefits them.  But the question is:  How accurate are these “Zestimates”? In a nutshell:   Not very. Zillow’s data is extrapolated from sales that have happened in the area, regardless of neighborhood and regardless of size, condition, amenities.  It does not take into account the local buyer’s preferences for “all bedrooms up” or “master down”, homes that sit on more than one lot with separate tax id’s, functionality of floor plan, school, busy street or cul-de-sac and a
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